10 terrific B.C. getaways

Picture yourself going on a long hike through an old-growth rainforest. You come to a clearing and super-heated water bubbles out of the ground and trickles into a series of natural rock-ringed pools by the ocean's edge. Now, imagine yourself sinking neck-deep into the hot mineral waters of nature's hot tub. And, just when you can't stand the heat anymore, edging closer to the sea and letting cooling waves wash over you.

This delicious experience on the west coast of Vancouver Island is one of my Top 10 favourite travel experiences served up by Mother Nature in this great province of ours.

With the summer holiday season so tantalizingly close, now is the time to plan your getaway and, perhaps, impress those special visitors from out of province by introducing them to B.C.'s Terrific 10.

1. HOTSPRINGS COVE

This natural hotspring in Maquinna Provincial Park on the remote northern end of Clayoquot Sound on Vancouver Island is worth the extra effort of getting there.

You can reach the park by private boat or via a one-hour water-taxi ride from Tofino.

From the wharf, you hike along an elevated, two-kilometre-long wooden boardwalk that meanders through the trees like some anaconda in the Amazon.

Be warned, though, your legs will feel like rubber on the return hike -- you will be that relaxed!

2. WHISTLER MOUNTAINEER

You have seen the spectacular scenery on the Sea-to-Sky Highway from your car and, perhaps, from a bus.

But nothing beats seeing it from the dome car of the Whistler Mountaineer train (whistlermountaineer.com).

And you get a whole new perspective as you hang out in the open heritage observation car.

It's here that you hear the clickity-clack of steel rail on steel track, and it's here, with the steep granite walls and forested mountains on one side and sparkling expanse of water of Howe Sound on the other that makes you glad that, for once, you left your car behind.

The piece de resistance served up by nature along the rail line at Mile 55.6 is Cheakamus Canyon -- a made-to-order photo op that will make you shutter.

3. WHITEWATER RAFTING

Every since Simon Fraser ran the rapids on the river that bears his name, whitewater enthusiasts have been seeking out the wildest water, and rafting outfitters have been there to offer the experience to even the most novice of adventurers,

From the Rockies, through the Kootenays, from Thompson country to Whistler and from the Yukon to the U.S. border, there is a rafting excursion for you, from a gentle floating foray to a hair-raising ride from hell.

For the latter, take on the Nahatlatch River, if you dare. With 27 rapids in a 12-kilometre stretch, it's no wonder the devil's cauldron draws kayakers and rafters from around the world.

4. SKOOKUM SAVARY

Some have called this crescent-shaped island near Powell River on the Sunshine Coast Canada's South Sea Isle.

That, of course, is an exaggeration, but one thing is true, the island in summer has the warmest water you'll find anywhere on the West Coast.

During a hiking tour, I found the north beach the warmest and the south beach the quietest -- now I know how Robinson Crusoe felt.

If ask enough questions of the locals, you might find the mother of all madronas (another name for the arbutus tree).

I was told it takes six people touching fingertips to encircle the trunk of B.C.'s largest arbutus.

To get to Savary, drive north of Powell River to the tiny community of Lund and then take a water taxi.

5. KETTLE VALLEY RAIL TRAIL

This is the holy grail of cyclists. The 455-km trail is the longest of five routes that make up a corridor of recreational trails known collectively as the Spirit of 2010 Trail.

The KVR section follows an abandoned rail line and begins at Midway near Grand Forks.

Destroyed by wildfires, all the trestles in the Myra Canyon section above Kelowna have been replaced.

The easy grades and spectacular views make it a suitable route for either family cycling or for hard-core members of the fat-wheel society.

6. ALPINE HEAVEN

Once the snowboards, skiers and Ski-Dooers pack it in for the season and tranquility returns to the mountain resorts, it's time for nature-lovers to head up the slopes.

There are so many mountains and so little time.

Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park in the Selkirks near Kootenay Lake, for example, offers a panorama of lush valleys, meadowlands and spectacular views.

And, in Mount Revelstoke National Park, the wildflowers will make you think you stepped onto a canvas of Matisse and Monet.

Choose your mountain.

Will it be Mt. Arrowsmith on Vancouver Island. Or, how about Mt. Frosty in Manning Provincial Park?

How about Sun Peaks near Kamloops, Silver Star near Vernon or Big White near Kelowna?

Whichever alpine shangri-la you choose, remember to tread lightly and keep to the trails.

And work out before you go. You should be in "peak" shape before you attempt high-altitude hiking.

If you go: To plan your own Top 10 B.C. travel experience, visit Tourism B.C.'s excellent website at www.hellobc.com

7. OTHELLO TUNNELS

Just off the Coquihalla HIghway about 10 kilometres east of Hope is a hidden gem that people miss as they speed to Kamloops or Okanagan wine country.

A short hike from the parking lot, is a marriage of the natural and the man-made that rivals any attraction on any route in B.C.

Through high canyon walls and high above a torrent of white water is a series of four tunnels and linking footpaths that make up the Othello Tunnels.

The system was part of the historic Kettle Valley Railway line linking the West Coast with the Kootenay region.

Bring a flashlight and hiking boots and enjoy the grandeur.

8. INSIDE PASSAGE

One of the joys of living on the West Coast is getting to sail the incomparable Inside Passage -- whether by sea kayak, sailboat or cruise ship.

Sailing serenely and at half speed aboard the Radiance of the Seas out of the mysty fiords of Alaska on water that was as placid as a pond, we entered Seymour Narrows between the northern end of Vancouver Island and the mainland.

The air was invigouratingly fresh, the sky a brilliant blue and, from the 12th deck, the dark-green forested slopes at the water's edge appeared so close, we felt we could lean over the edge and touch them.

It doesn't get any better than this.

9. WHALE WATCHING

Each spring, grey whales migrate from their winter home in the Sea of Cortes off Baja California and make their way up the coast to their summer feeding grounds in Alaska. Call it a whale-repositioning cruise.

There are a number of tour operators that will take you out to see these magnificent behemoths as they slowly make their way along Vancouver Island.

I prefer the killer-whale experience. The orcas are easier to see and much more active. Following a pod of orcas out of aptly named Orcas Island in Washington State into the Strait of Juan de Fuca toward Victoria, we got so close that we were able to smell their breath as they dove to dine on a school of fish and rose to exhale in a plume of misty eau-de-salmon.

One of the best orca-viewing areas is in Johnstone Strait between the mainland and northern Vancouver Island. When you're there, check out the Killer Whale Interpretive Centre at Telegraph Cove (killerwhalecentre.org).

10. ZIPTREKKING

There is no bigger rush than zipping high above the ground, over rushing water and through a rainforest canopy with only a steel umbilical cord saving your from being splattered like an egg on a fryng pan.

This growing outdoor phenomenon can be experienced at Whistler/Blackcomb with Ziptrek Ecotours (ziptrek.com).

My only ziptrekking experience was in Costa Rica. And the wild ride there was on 11 separate ziplines down to the forest canyon floor. What a blast!

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